Summary

Birth: 1831
Death: 1898
APPELL, PHILLIP FRANCIS
(1831~1898)
Captain Phillip Francis Appell was an officer in the Confederate State Navy. He was born in Prussia in 1831. The Register of Confederate States Naval Officers says Appell was appointed Master's mate July 11, 1861, and acting sailing master October 14, 1861. He served on the C.S.R.S. St. Phillip at New Orleans Station in 1861. In September of 1861 he was detached from the C.S.R.S. St. Phillip and ordered to Galveston, Texas. That's where he commanded the C.S.S. Bayou City from 1861-1862. The C.S.S. Bayou City was a 165-foot side-wheel steamer that was built for commercial use. It was originally a mail boat that ran between Galveston and Houston. Bayou City was charted in September of 1861 by Commander W.W. Hunter and was taken over by the war department in October 1862. Phillip Francis Appell died, June 25, 1898, aged 67 years.

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Capt Phillip Francis Appell CSN

Captain Phillip Francis Appell was an officer in the Confederate State Navy. He was born in Prussia in 1831. The Register of Confederate States Naval Officers says Appell was appointed Master's mate July 11, 1861, and acting sailing master October 14, 1861. He served on the C.S.R.S. St. Phillip at New Orleans Station in 1861. In September of 1861 he was detached from the C.S.R.S. St. Phillip and ordered to Galveston, Texas. That's where he commanded the C.S.S. Bayou City from 1861-1862. The C.S.S. Bayou City was a 165-foot side-wheel steamer that was built for commercial use. It was originally a mail boat that ran between Galveston and Houston. Bayou City was charted in September of 1861 by Commander W.W. Hunter and was taken over by the war department in October 1862. Phillip Francis Appell died, June 25, 1898, aged 67 years.

Serving as a mail boat between Galveston and Houston, Texas, the ship was chartered on 26 September 1861 by Comdr. W. Hunter, CSN, commanding the Texas Marine Department, from the Houston Navigation Co.[1]

After a brief contest at sea, the USS Harriet Lane sank the Neptune, and one-half of the two-vessel Confederate fleet was lying on the bottom of the harbor.[3] As the lone surviving Rebel steamer, the Bayou City was outnumbered six-to-one among the armed vessels in the harbor.[4]

However, the Bayou City circled around and made a second run on the USS Harriet Lane. This time, the Confederates hit their target. In short order, the crew of the Bayou City succeeded in storming and overpowering the crew of the Lane.[4] The men from the Bayou City boarded and seized the federal vessel despite the explosion of their own heavy cannon.[3] Ultimately, the attack was a success, with the Harriet Lane captured and another Union vessel, the USS Westfield destroyed.[2]

Continued service

Following the Battle of Galveston, Bayou City served the Confederacy in Texas waters until the conclusion of the American Civil War.[2]

Fate of the Steamer

An advertisement for an Auction Sale in Flake's Daily Galveston Bulletin (Galveston, Galveston Co., TX), Sun., 24 Jun 1866, p. 5, c. 5 - Sale of Government Property - Will be sold on Tuesday, the 12th July, at 10 o'clock a.m. at the corner of Strand and Tremont streets, in the city of Galveston, the following property: Stm'r Bayou City, near Lagrange, Neches river. The engines, machinery of these boats are said to be good and can be recovered at little cost. Terms, Cash in U.S. Treasury Notes. By order of Geo. W. Dent, Supervising Agent, Treas. Dept., Alex'r N. Shipley, Government Auctioneer.

CS Bayou CityWikipedia: C.S. Army Gunboat Bayou City (1861-1865) was a 165-foot side-wheel steamboat built for commercial use at Jeffersonville, Indiana, in 1859. →